SENIOR MANAGER STRATEGIC PLANNING & INITIATIVES (Governance & Corporate Strategy)

Job ID: 60623

Job Category: Policy, Planning & Research

Division & Section: City Manager's Office, Governance & Corporate Strategy

Work Location: City Hall, 100 Queen St. W, Toronto, ON

Job Type & Duration: Full-time, Permanent Vacancy 

Salary Range: $144,591-$196,565

Hiring Zone: $157,710-$170,991

Shift Information: Mon-Fri, 35 hrs/wk per week

Affiliation: Non-Union

Number of Positions Open: 1 

Posting Period: 27-May-2026 to 10-Jun-2026

Recognized as one of Greater Toronto’s Top Employers for 2026, the City of Toronto promotes professional development and is committed to providing opportunities to lead, learn and grow. We value integrity, reliability, and fairness, and we embrace the diversity of the people we work with and serve.

The City Manager’s Office provides strategic leadership to Toronto’s municipal administration, ensuring effective governance, accountability, continuous improvement and strong partnerships across sectors. Its work enables the City to deliver services that support a prosperous, inclusive, and well-managed Toronto.

Within this office, the Governance and Corporate Strategy team advises the City Manager, Mayor and Council, and senior leaders on governance matters, public service ethics, strategic planning, and corporate policies. Working across the organization, the team leads municipal governance oversight, delivers data-driven policy development and advice, and drives the City’s corporate strategic planning, reviews, and reporting, helping align decisions and actions with the City’s priorities and long-term goals.

Position Summary
Reporting to the Deputy Chief of Staff, Strategy & Integration, the Senior Manager, Strategic Planning & Initiatives (Governance & Corporate Strategy) plays a critical leadership role in advancing corporate wide priorities related to corporate governance, corporate policy, and corporate strategy.

This is a leadership role requiring a strong people leader who can unify, direct, and elevate team performance while delivering tangible outcomes in a complex and evolving municipal environment.

The Impact You’ll Make
The Senior Manager provides strategic leadership, program delivery and sound advice across a portfolio that includes corporate governance, corporate policy, and corporate strategy.

In the area of corporate governance and accountability, the role leads analysis and provides strategic advice on governance frameworks, Council decision-making processes, and organizational authority structures. This includes assessing and interpreting legislative and structural changes, such as evolving mayoral authorities and governance reforms, and evaluating their implications for operations and accountability. The role supports governance-related initiatives involving Council, the City Clerk’s Office, and the City’s accountability functions, including the Auditor General, Integrity Commissioner, Ombudsman, and Lobbyist Registrar. In addition, the Senior Manager contributes to strengthening corporate governance practices across the organization and provides guidance to divisions on the governance implications of policy and program decisions.

The role also leads the development and implementation of complex corporate-wide policies, particularly those that are high-profile, cross-divisional, or politically sensitive. This includes identifying emerging issues and proactively shaping policy responses aligned with Council and City Manager priorities, while providing strategic advice on policy directions, implications, and risks, including financial, operational, and reputational considerations. The Senior Manager supports the development of a cohesive corporate policy approach across the organization and leads a city-wide policy community of practice to enhance policy capacity, consistency, and knowledge sharing.

As a senior strategic leader, the role provides high-quality, objective advice on complex and often sensitive matters to senior leadership, including within the City Manager’s Office. Responsibilities include preparing and overseeing briefing materials, Council reports, presentations, and strategic analyses, as well as supporting senior leadership and elected officials in navigating complex policy, governance, and strategic issues. The role anticipates emerging issues and positions the organization to respond proactively, while contributing to high-priority corporate initiatives with significant organizational or reputational impact.

The Senior Manager also drives corporate strategy integration and alignment by leading efforts to align divisional strategies with corporate priorities and the City’s strategic plan. This includes identifying cross-functional opportunities, duplication, and gaps across major initiatives, and supporting enterprise-wide strategic planning processes and coordination. The role utilizes tools such as strategy mapping and tracking frameworks to enhance transparency, coordination, and decision-making, and contributes to integrated approaches that connect policy, strategy, governance, and implementation.

In leading people and team performance, the role provides strong, values-based leadership to a multidisciplinary team of corporate policy and strategy professionals. This includes establishing clear direction, priorities, and accountability, building a cohesive and high-performing team culture, and leading talent development, succession planning, coaching, and performance management. The role is responsible for driving the evolution of the team to a proactive, integrated strategic partner.

Finally, the role leads cross-organizational collaboration and initiatives by building and maintaining strong relationships across City divisions, agencies, corporations, and senior leadership. It involves leading complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives that require alignment across competing priorities, influencing outcomes and facilitating consensus in a politically sensitive environment, and supporting the coordination of corporate initiatives to ensure alignment with Council direction and organizational priorities.

Key Qualifications

1. Post-secondary education in public administration, policy, business, or a related discipline, or an equivalent combination of education and experience
2. Extensive experience leading and delivering complex, multi-disciplinary, cross-functional policy and strategy initiatives from development through implementation within a large public sector or similarly complex organization
3. Extensive people leadership experience, including coaching, developing, and motivating professional staff, with demonstrated ability to build cohesive, high-performing teams and foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement
4. Extensive experience developing, analyzing, and implementing corporate policies, including those involving significant organizational, reputational, and political considerations
5. Experience providing strategic advice to senior leadership, including executives and/or elected officials, on complex, sensitive, and high-impact matters, supported by the demonstrated ability to prepare and deliver high-quality briefing materials, reports, presentations, and strategic documents
6. Strong knowledge of municipal governance frameworks, decision-making processes, and legislative environments, including experience assessing the implications of governance or structural changes across a government organization
7. Extensive experience managing complex, high-profile issues, with demonstrated ability to influence, negotiate, and achieve consensus among diverse stakeholders while balancing political, community, and public interests
8. Highly developed political acuity, judgment, and discretion, with the ability to navigate sensitive governance and policy issues in a public sector environment
9. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build relationships and interact effectively with stakeholders at all levels, including senior management and elected officials
10. Proven ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver results in an environment with shifting demands, tight timelines, and high expectations
11. Experience supporting or working with governance bodies and accountability frameworks (e.g., boards, oversight offices) is considered an asset
12. Knowledge of municipal legislation, governance structures, and relevant statutes (e.g., City of Toronto Act, MFIPPA, OHSA) is considered an asset

Why You Will Love Working at The City:

1. We recognize the need for flexibility and offer a hybrid working environment that will provide you with an appropriate work-life balance required to thrive in today’s fast paced world.
2. A strong benefits package which includes competitive salaries, vacation, and other unique offerings.
3. We offer an excellent defined benefit pension plan bringing added value to our overall compensation package through OMERS.
4. We support ongoing learning and development and offer educational opportunities with tuition subsidies.
5. Opportunities to join and take an active role with City’s Communities of Inclusions comprised of employees who share a common identity, lived experience and/or set of interest and support each other’s professional development, sense of belonging and promote a culture of inclusion.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

The City is an equal opportunity employer, dedicated to creating a workplace culture of inclusiveness that reflects the diverse residents that we serve. Learn more about the City’s commitment to employment equity.

Accommodation

The City of Toronto is committed to creating an accessible and inclusive organization. We are committed to providing barrier-free and accessible employment practices in compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). Should you require Code-protected accommodation through any stage of the recruitment process, please make them known when contacted and we will work with you to meet your needs. Disability-related accommodation during the application process is available upon request. Learn more about the City’s Hiring Policies and Accommodation Process.